Ridgerunner7

[U.P. MAN]

Nice job, great read.

[Ridgerunner7]

Like the writeup....to the point and no BS. As i read through the dedication to the sport was very apprant, much time spent doing what you have passion for, hard work and dedication are keys for success, really isn't any shortcuts.

Your success speaks to itself, and very impressive from a early age. Have a sense of how it changed over time, by making mistakes and learning from them. Like to understand how you have learned from others, and have adapted new stratgies or locations and used that information to shorten the learning curve.

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I used to hunt mobile with a cheap hang on with a chain. I remember trying to hang that thing all stressed out that the chains were gonna clink because I knew I was close to the buck. The Lone Wolf along with Dan and Andrae made this style of hunting easy. That and refining my bed hunting setups I learned from Dan and other Beast members on the old site and through my own trial and error.

John Eberhart doesn't hunt October at all in Michigan. He thinks it's simply not worth it and the pressure is too high. He simply stays out of his areas as to no disturb doe traffic then hunts like a mad man for 4 weeks come November. He also hunts scrapes, something most hunters dismiss. I experimented with this for many years and even tried to coax bucks to a certiain spot with maintained mock scrapes in thick cover.

I learned from my buddy Jesse and recently Luke the value in glassing. My properties aren't super condusive to glassing but in past years two weeks prior to season I'll sit in observation stands well away from the activity but overlooking the areas I intend to hunt. This has allowed me to get in the ball game with several shooters over some recent openers.

Bill Vale is a big "moon" guy and can get real creative with his setups. I've known Bill for 8 years and have learned some interesting techniques from him as well.

There are several others that you've never heard of. We all are always calling each other asking each others opinion. All have seem to have their niche and style a little different than the next yet they all kill big bucks.

A friend a mine in Nebraska Mark hunts 100% over a decoy. He hunts private and public always with a decoy. His trophy room would make you cry. He has perfected it and uses it different that most. I've used his knowledge and have been able to have some very cool decoy experiences including my biggest buck ever. I have some stands that are setup only for decoy use.

JML2 on this site has a nack for habitat manipulation and getting on pressured bucks. I've learned a lot from him as well. He's been on most of my deer recoveries in the past 5 years as Im color blind and not the best at tracking.

Learning from my many mistakes and listening to guys that get it done every year has really shortened the learning curve. Now when I encounter situations I typically have a clear cut strategy pop into my head. It doesn't always pan out but its fun and at least Im trying.

I also take scent control very seriously...I know that's against what most think here but it boosts my confidence if nothing else.


I've also kept detailed logs over the last 16 years of moon, wind, weather patterns, other hunters, sightings and scouting notes. Being able to cross reference this info with my kills and sightings has been a great learning tool.

[Jackson Marsh]

Great post! Thanks RR7

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[PLB]

Awesome read!!

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[NatureBoy]

Really have enjoyed reading about your methods and growth as a big buck hunter. Great thread!

[Bucky]

Impressive RR7 - are you a teacher?

[Ridgerunner7]

Im a physical therapist but work at a school with special needs children. It doesn't allow me to travel for as long as I like to other big buck states but I do get out of work early enough that I can hunt most evenings. I worked hard to gain access to several properties within 30min-1 hour from my home so I can hit those after work.

[headgear]

Wow very impressive Ridge!

[moondoondude]

Great read for sure. Persistence is key - I have learned through talking to you that you know that and that you are, no doubt, very persistent.

I look forward to hunting with you in less than 2 months, should be a good time!

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[Ridgerunner7]

Here are a couple setups that have been good to me. The first was an early season setup and where I killed my second biggest buck. I got permission late in the summer on this farm. A quick scouting trip and a located big tracks coming out of the marsh heading into the field which was standing corn. I generalized where I thought the buck was bedding and set up in a tree as close as possible without busting him. The red X is the bucks bed. I verified this after the kill. The red line is his route to the food source. The blue circle is my setup. The yellow line is the wind direction. Notice the river line/bend just north of the bed blocked that buck from getting down wind of me as he worked towards the corn. This is the setup I try to look for early season. The wind was great for the buck to leave his bed and scent check the food source before entering without leaving the cover of the marsh. The wind direction also drew him closer to my set up. The wind was also good for me blowing me west safely away from the buck. Luck played some in this as I didn't know his exact bed before the kill but I had an idea.

Sorry if the markings are confusing


The next is a spot I hunt during the rut. It holds a lot of deer with many does and alwasys a few good bucks. It consists of marshy river bottom. The river bends (red circles) are buck beds. The green circles are thickets of red brush that hold doe groups. The yellow line is wind direction that I hutn this setup (east). The red line is the bucks general travel as they scent check does. The Blue X is my set up. I access along the river and my scent blows safely away from the deer and rutting activity. This stand is high 30+feet so if the wind does switch occasionally I usually blow over the deer that are close by. The river and open field pinch down movement to make a classic funnel. I have killed several solid bucks in this little funnel. Again the wind direction (east) draws deer to my setup so they can scent check the doe groups. Because my access is so tight I can hunt this a few more times a year than normal.

Hope this all makes sense.



I should add..this very flat ground.

[Sweet Shot 7]

Great read, thanks!

[Sweet Shot 7]

Great set ups also!

[Edcyclopedia]

I'm Glad I asked!

Overly impressive, great perseverance and a smart man - [glow=red]excellent read[/glow] - Thank YOU!!!
I'm sure your Dad helped you get many of these bucks...

You gave me information overload as to why I stink at mature deer hunting

[mibowhunter]

Man Ridgerunner7, you flat out get it done! And in Michigan no less, that is great stuff. Thanks for posting some aerials of your setup too, that really helps me (visual learner! haha) and I always find it cool to see what setups guys use. Good luck this year too!

[Stanley]

Great read, and great collection of bucks. This is what I like about the Beast it showcases real hunters not just internet hunters.